


Gemma and Sister

by nnozomi



Category: Gemma - Noel Streatfeild
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-23
Updated: 2012-12-23
Packaged: 2017-11-22 03:10:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/605182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nnozomi/pseuds/nnozomi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phone calls from New York are no longer such a surprise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gemma and Sister

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bookchan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookchan/gifts).



“Gemma?”

Laughter. “Ann, you _always_ know it’s me. How do you do that?”

“No one else would call at such an hour, of course. You do know it’s nearly midnight here?”

“Oh, is it? I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“Not this time, no. Is everything all right?”

“Fine. Fine. I just wanted to say hello.”

A pause. “I think it went all right with Mum and Dad.”

“Oh _good_. I wanted to ask, but I didn’t quite…you know…”

“You know, Lydie called me up nearly the moment I was back in the house, demanding to know how the talk went. No decorum on her part.”

“Lydie never has hesitated about speaking her mind. And what did you tell her?”

“Well, as I said…they weren’t, well, they weren’t angry or…I think it helped that they know I, well, that church is still awfully important to me, and…”

“As long as they program the right music, you mean.”

Laughter on both ends. “Yes. I’d have a hard time going every Sunday to a church which had gone all happy-clappy.”

“And you the princess of British pop music for how many years?”

“Gemma, you’re exaggerating dreadfully. I just made a few records, really.”

“Listen to her. A few records. Do you know how many people listen to…”

“Anyway, you know I’m not really working that way any more. I’ve told my manager I’m not planning on any more pop recordings, and I’m not taking any appearances—well, sometimes when it’s a hospital or a charity concert, but…”

“Ann, honestly, you’re still just the way you were in the fifth form. If people know they can get you for charity you’ll be working your bum off for nothing, do you know that?”

“But Gemma, that’s _important_. I can’t just tell people I can’t be bothered to do it. Of course if I’ve got a paying engagement, that’s another thing, but…”

“Yes, how is that end of it going? It’s not easy making the transition from pop to classical.”

“No, not at all. It’s even more competitive, if anything, and it makes very different demands on the voice…I’m taking singing lessons again, just to make sure I’m not harming my vocal cords. And there are people who will turn you down flat if they know you’ve been a pop singer.”

“Why not sing under a different name, then?” A chuckle. “Ann Bow, perhaps.”

“Oh Gemma, honestly! I wouldn’t know how to be myself under any other name, I’ve always been just Ann Robinson…and always will be. It’s not like you, you’re an actress. I’m just myself even when I’m singing.”

“That won’t last if you start getting more opera roles, you know. You’ll have to be Violetta, Cherubino, Turandot…”

“Oh, I’d love to have the chance…I don’t know if I’ll ever make it that way. Maybe in some of the regional companies. But I was really lucky to have that chance to sing the soprano solo in the Ninth with Andrew Goldberg conducting. He’s hot just now, and it’s a great help to be able to say I’ve sung with him, and he’s put a few other things my way since.”

“How did he latch on to you, anyway?”

“I didn’t tell you? It was Perry Wilson—you know.”

“The “Wrong Road” singer? Gorgeous. Introduce me.”

“Gemma, really. Well, I’ll think about it. He and I recorded a duet a couple of years ago, you won’t remember, you were in New York. He’s classically trained, and he’s got a brother—Tristram— who’s an opera singer, a tenor. When Tris happened to say they needed a soprano for the Ninth gala, Perry pushed me his way, and—well—amazingly enough, it worked out.”

“We’ve always had that kind of luck.”

“And the hard work that makes it.”

“I won’t argue with that. Even lazy Lydie, when it comes to her dancing.”

“I was awfully worried when she took up with M. Kotalev at the Royal. Mum nearly went crazy, and you know she lets us make our own judgments, but Lydie’s teacher, and so much older…but they seem to be quite happy.”

“An older man is what Lydie’s always needed. And another dancer—no one else would understand her.”

“I suppose you might be right. Mum seems to feel all right about it now, anyway. I think Dad’s still a bit uncomfortable, but…”

“Uncle Philip’s always had his own standards, hasn’t he? I still talk to him every now and then when I want some advice from a different perspective. He always has something to say I didn’t think of.”

“He’s good like that. Do you know what? It was easier for me to tell him about…about me, now that I’m working on having a classical career. I know that’s what Dad’s always wanted for me, really, and his face just shone when I told them about the Ninth. At least I could stop disappointing him in one way.”

“Do you think he was really that disappointed? Not about you singing pop. The other.”

A sigh. “That’s the thing with Mum and Dad, you know? They’d never hurt us, no matter what, so they don’t always say what they’re really feeling. They might be so much more upset than they actually showed me…”

“But it’s not as if they don’t get angry when they think it’s right to. Look at Lydie’s lies, or that summer Robin and Nigs went hitchhiking.”

“So at least, they don’t think it’s an immediate wrong…”

“What did they say about Rosie? Did she come with you?”

“No. She said she would if I wanted her to, but I thought I ought to do it alone. I think they were a bit relieved about that, anyway—that it was Rosie, someone they know and like.”

“Pity she’s not a musician.”

“Gemma, not everyone has to perform for a living! Anyway, she’s a successful businesswoman, you ought to approve of that. Her dad keeps talking about retiring early and putting her in full charge of the factory.”

“Good on her. And she’s really all right with you traveling to perform?”

“As long as I always come home to Headstone. And I do.”

“Ann, you are so… _Ann_. Well, it’s good to have someone who knows about management around to help you with the business end of your career, isn’t it?”

“Gemma, for a leading lady in I don’t know how many films and plays now, you are the most unromantic person who ever was!”

“Someone has to be, love. Oh, and how’s Robin? Is he still talking about forming a new-wave jazz group and gigging around the country?”

“Half the time. The other time he talks about going to teach in a choir school, would you believe it? I think he’s planning to infiltrate the musical establishment from the inside.” Laughter on both ends. “And he’s got another girlfriend at college—Veronica. She’s studying composition, has red hair, and comes from a family of eight children, and that’s all we know about her, but I think he’s pretty serious this time.”

“As long as he doesn’t lose out to Nigs with this girl too.”

“No, I think Robin’s finally coming into his own. We’ll see what happens next year after they’ve left college.”

“Keep me posted, do. Tell Robin I’ve voted for the jazz group.”

“You and Lydie. Mum and Dad and I are hoping he’ll be a teacher, though.”

“No surprises. So this Veronica is the tie-breaking vote. Girlfriends!”

“What about you, Gemma? The gossip columns have you with a different man every month of the year, but you hardly ever bring anyone home at Christmas, or anything serious like that.”

“I’m not serious that way, Ann. You know that, honestly, don’t you? The same way I’ve always known you’d rather be with women.”

“But…don’t you get lonely? I mean, I think I was influenced by Mum and Dad’s marriage, because they’ve been married so long and been so good for each other. When I first understood I wasn’t interested in men, the worst thing was thinking I’d never have a marriage like that.”

“Silly. You may not get your white wedding, but there’s no reason you and Rosie oughtn’t to be together just as long, and as well.”

“Oh yes. I know that now—and I know how lucky I am, honestly. That’s why I worry about you.”

“You needn’t. Truly. I’m never alone when I don’t want to be, and being tied down to a marriage would be the worst thing for me.”

“You’ve always wanted to move on to the next thing, I know. As long as you’re truly happy that way.”

“Never worry, Ann. I plan to end up Dame Gemma Bow, with a hundred lovers and a thousand friends.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a quick treat for the fun of it; I hope it's at least a little bit satisfying (and that you don't mind the two stealth crossovers).


End file.
